Intensity of OU fall camp making impression on Walter Rouse
In the not-so-distant past, the Stanford Cardinal were running the football as well as any team in the country. The program became particularly well-known for developing offensive linemen.
Between 2012 and 2016, the Cardinal produced three first-rounders along the offensive line, with David DeCastro (2012), Andrus Peat (2015), and Joshua Garnett (2016) all going in the first round. Then, in 2017, the running back that helped them earn the honor, Christian McCaffrey, went eighth overall to Carolina.
However, since that 2017 season, the Cardinal have been to just one bowl game, leading David Shaw to retire last season after 12 years at the helm.
In the wake of his decision to leave, offensive lineman Walter Rouse and 16 of his teammates decided to transfer elsewhere for the 2023 season.
Rouse, listed at 6-6, 322 pounds, is a prototype offensive tackle that started 39 games at Stanford over four seasons. However, instead of taking his chances in the 2023 NFL Draft, Rouse decided that a move to Oklahoma was the best thing for his career going forward.
“Coming in, having talked with (OU offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh) and (OU coach Brent Venables) before I committed to OU, with them knowing I wasn’t going to be able to practice in the spring, just going to be rehabbing, just getting in the playbook, it’s been awesome,” Rouse told media back in April. “Just doing all the little things, getting to know the teammates, (getting) around campus, (learning a) little bit of the history of OU, it’s just been great.
“I came here with a job to do. Coming here to play football next year, I want to help OU get better. OU’s going to help me get better as a football player and as a man. I’m just really excited about it. It’s been a great journey so far.”
Now, in the midst of his lone fall camp with the Sooners, Rouse has noticed an immediate difference between Stanford and his new home in Norman.
“That first practice, even with the Spyders on, it was like we were full pads," Rouse said. "(It's) a little bit of a difference from Stanford because… it’s a bit more intense in terms of how the defense and offense were getting after it. I really love that. It’s really setting the tone for how we want the season to go, too. Each and every day, we’re not getting a lot of reps — coach Venables is checking our bodies — but each rep we’re acting like it’s a game rep. Like it’s the final play of a game. And because we’re acting like that I just feel like we’re getting better. It’s better than just doing more and taking it out of your body.”
Heading into fall camp, Jeff Lebby named Rouse as the starting left tackle, and through the first few practices it appears as if Rouse and the rest of the group are feeling good about how things have come together.
“I think it’s been coming together really well. Overall, especially with the ones, we’re really connected with one another. Loving working with Savion on the left side and we’re forming a great relationship with one another. Some of the stuff we’re doing is nonverbal because we’re already feeling it. It was already instinctive. I’m just feeling great."